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〃She wants to e；〃 Sam said。 〃She begged me 。 。 。〃
Mormont raised a hand。 〃I will hear no more of this； Tarly。 You've been told and told to stay well away from Craster's wives。〃
〃She's his daughter；〃 Sam said feebly。
〃Go see to Barmen。 Now。 Before you make me wroth。〃
〃Yes； my lord。〃 Sam hurried off quivering。
But when he reached the fire； it was only to find Giant pulling a fur cloak up over Barmen's head。 〃He said he was cold；〃 the small man said。 〃I hope he's gone someplace warm； I do。〃
〃His wound 。 。 。〃 said Sam。
〃Bugger his wound。〃 Dirk prodded the corpse with his foot。 〃His foot was hurt。 I knew a man back in my village lost a foot。 He lived to nine…and…forty。〃
〃The cold；〃 said Sam。 〃He was never warm。〃
〃He was never fed；〃 said Dirk。 〃Not proper。 That bastard Craster starved him dead。〃
Sam looked around anxiously； but Craster had not returned to the hall。 if he had； things might have grown ugly。 The wildling hated bastards； though the rangers said he was baseborn himself； fathered on a wildling woman by some long…dead crow。
〃Craster's got his own to feed；〃 said Giant。 〃All these women。 He's given us what he can。〃
〃Don't you bloody believe it。 The day we leave； he'll tap a keg o' mead and sit down to feast on ham and honey。 And laugh at us； out starving in the snow。 He's a bloody wildling； is all he is。 There's none o' them friends of the Watch。〃 He kicked at Bannen's corpse。 〃Ask him if you don't believe me。〃
They burned the ranger's corpse at sunset； in the fire that Grenn had been feeding earlier that day。 Tim Stone and Garth of Oldtown carried out the naked corpse and swung him twice between them before heaving him into the flames。 The surviving brothers divided up his clothes； his weapons； his armor； and everything else he owned。 At Castle Black； the Night's Watch buried its dead with all due ceremony。 They were not at Castle Black； though。 And bones do not e back as wights。
〃His name was Bannen；〃 Lord mander Mormont said； as the flames took him。 〃He was a brave man； a good ranger。 He came to us from 。 。 。 where did he e from？〃
〃Down White Harbor way；〃 someone called out。
Mormont nodded。 〃He came to us from White Harbor； and never failed in his duty。 He kept his vows as best he could； rode far； fought fiercely。 We shall never see his like again。〃
〃And now his watch is ended；〃 the black brothers said； in solemn chant。
〃And now his watch is ended；〃 Mormont echoed。
〃Ended；〃 cried his raven。 〃Ended。〃
Sam was red…eyed and sick from the smoke。 When he looked at the fire； he thought he saw Bannen sitting up； his hands coiling into fists as if to fight off the flames that were consuming him； but it was only for an instant； before the swirling smoke hid all。 The worst thing was the smell； though。 If it had been a foul unpleasant smell he might have stood it； but his burning brother smelled so much like roast pork that Sam's mouth began to water； and that was so horrible that as soon as the bird squawked 〃Ended〃 he ran behind the hall to throw up in the ditch。
He was there on his knees in the mud when Dolorous Edd came up。 〃Digging for worms； Sam？ Or are you just sick？〃
〃Sick；〃 said Sam weakly； wiping his mouth with the back of his hand。 〃The smell 。 。 。〃
〃Never knew Bannen could smell so good。〃 Edd's tone was as morose as ever。 〃I had half a mind to carve a slice off him。 If we had some applesauce； I might have done it。 Pork's always best with applesauce； I find。〃 Edd undid his laces and pulled out his cock。 〃You best not die； Sam； or I fear I might succumb。 There's bound to be more crackling on you than Bannen ever had； and I never could resist a bit of crackling。〃 He sighed as his piss arced out； yellow and steaming。 〃We ride at first light； did you hear？ Sun or snow； the Old Bear tells me。〃
Sun or snow。 Sam glanced up anxiously at the sky。 〃Snow？〃 he squeaked。 〃We 。 。 。 ride？ All of us？〃
〃Well； no； some will need to walk。〃 He shook himself。 〃Dywen now； he says we need to learn to ride dead horses； like the Others do。 He claims it would save on feed。 How much could a dead horse eat？〃 Edd laced himself back up。 〃Can't say I fancy the notion。 Once they figure a way to work a dead horse； we'll be next。 Likely I'll be the first too。 'Edd' they'll say； 'dying's no excuse for lying down no more； so get on up and take this spear； you've got the watch tonight。' Well； I shouldn't be so gloomy。 Might be I'll die before they work it out。〃
Might be we'll all die； and sooner than we'd like； Sam thought； as he climbed awkwardly to his feet。
When Craster learned that his unwanted guests would be departing on the morrow； the wildling became almost amiable； or as close to amiable as Craster ever got。 〃Past time；〃 he said； 〃you don't belong here； I told you that。 All the same； I'll see you off proper； with a feast。 Well； a feed。 My wives can roast them horses you slaughtered； and I'll find some beer and bread。〃 He smiled his brown smile。 〃Nothing better than beer and horsemeat。 If you can't ride 'em； eat 'em； that's what I say。〃
His wives and daughters dragged out the benches and the long log tables； and cooked and served as well。 Except for Gilly； Sam could hardly tell the women apart。 Some were old and some were young and some were only girls； but a lot of them were Craster's daughters as well as his wives； and they all looked sort of alike。 As they went about their work； they spoke in soft voices to each other； but never to the men in black。
Craster owned but one chair。 He sat in it； clad in a sleeveless sheepskin jerkin。 His thick arms were covered with white hair； and about one wrist was a twisted ring of gold。 Lord mander Mormont took the place at the top of the bench to his right； while the brothers crowded in knee to knee； a dozen remained outside to guard the gate and tend the fires。
Sam found a place between Grenn and Orphan Oss； his stomach rumbling。 The charred horsemeat dripped with grease as Craster's wives turned the spits above the firepit； and the smell of it set his mouth to watering again； but that reminded him of Barmen。 Hungry as he was； Sam knew he would retch if he so much as tried a bite。 How could they eat the poor faithful garrons who had carried them so far？ When Craster's wives brought onions； he seized one eagerly。 One side was black with rot； but he cut that part off with his dagger and ate the good half raw。 There was bread as well； but only two loaves。 When Ulmer asked for more； the woman only shook her head。 That was when the trouble started。
〃Two loaves？〃 Clubfoot Karl plained from down the bench。 〃How stupid are you women？ We need more bread than this！〃
Lord mander Mormont gave him a hard look。 〃Take what you're given； and be thankful。 Would you sooner be out in the storm eating snow？〃
〃We'll be there soon enough。〃 Clubfoot Karl did not flinch from the Old Bear's wrath。 〃I'd sooner eat what Craster's hiding； my lord。〃
Craster narrowed his eyes。 〃I gave you crows enough。 I got me women to feed。〃
Dirk speared a chunk of horsemeat。 〃Aye。 So you admit you got a secret larder。 How else to make it through a winter？〃
〃I'm a godly man 。 。 。〃 Craster started。
〃You're a niggardly man；〃 said Karl； 〃and a liar。〃
〃Hams；〃 Garth of Oldtown said； in a reverent voice。 〃There were pigs； last time we e。 I bet he's got hams hid someplace。 Smoked and salted hams； and bacon too。〃
〃Sausage；〃 said Dirk。 〃Them long black ones； they're like rocks； they keep for years。 I bet he's got a hundred hanging in some cellar。〃
〃Oats；〃 suggested Ollo Lophand。 〃Corn。 Barley。〃
〃Corn；〃 said Mormont's raven； with a flap of the wings。 〃Corn； corn； corn； corn； corn。〃
〃Enough；〃 said Lord mander Mormont over the bird's raucous calls。 〃Be quiet； all of you。 This is folly。〃
〃Apples；〃 said Garth of Greenaway。 〃Barrels and barrels of crisp autumn apples。 There are apple trees out there； I saw 'em。〃
〃Dried berries。 Cabbages。 Pine nuts。〃
〃Corn。 Corn。 Corn。〃
〃Salt mutton。 There's a sheepfold。 He's got casks and casks of mutton laid by； you know he does。〃
Craster looked fit to spit them all by then。 Lord mander Mormont rose。 〃Silence。 I'll hear no more such talk。…
〃Then stuff bread in your cars； old man。〃 Clubfoot Karl pushed back from the table。 〃Or did you swallow your bloody crumb already？〃
Sam saw the Old Bear's face go red。 〃Have you forgotten who I am？ Sit； eat； and be silent。 That is a mand。〃
No one spoke。 No one moved。 All eyes were on the Lord mander and the big clubfooted ranger； as the two of them stared at each other across the table。 It seemed to Sam that Karl broke first； and was about to sit； though sullenly 。 。 。
。 。 。 but Craster stood； and his axe was in his hand。 The big black steel axe that Mormont had given him as a guest gift。 〃No；〃 he growled。 〃You'll not sit。 No one who calls me niggard will sleep beneath my roof nor eat at my board。 Out with you； cripple。 And you and you and you。〃 He jabbed the head of the axe toward Dirk and Garth and Garth in turn。 〃Go sleep in the cold with empty bellies； the lot o' you； or 。 。 。〃
〃Bloody bastard！〃 Sam heard one of the Garths curse。 He never saw which one。
〃Who calls me bastard？〃 Craster roared； sweeping platter and meat and wine cups from the table